


Return of the Venatori

by Willowflower_Waterlily



Series: Evelyn and Malcolm Hawke (Series 2) [5]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-23
Updated: 2015-06-24
Packaged: 2018-04-05 20:06:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4193214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowflower_Waterlily/pseuds/Willowflower_Waterlily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Malcolm and his daughter Leandra are out hunting and run into a small group of Venatori.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [karog](https://archiveofourown.org/users/karog/gifts).



> Prompt fill: For now, it seems that Evelyn was usually the injured one. How about Malcolm getting hurt while protecting their child? For example, from a wild animal?

Malcolm hears their footsteps before he sees them. His years of training to protect his family have always been invaluable, especially when listening for groups of people moving through the woods. He closes his eyes for a moment and listens to the footfalls. Counting four, he knows they’re coming closer, tracking something, someone. Are they following Leandra and himself? Instinct kicks in, and he looks around quickly for a place to hide her.

Pulling Leandra behind a tree, he presses a finger to her lips, and motions for her to climb. Leandra gives him a confused look, but when he motions again, she quickly climbs. Once his daughter out of sight, Malcolm steps out from behind the tree, and in full view of the Venatori. “Lovely day, isn’t it?”

The leader of the small group glowers at him. “You will tell us where the Inquisitor is, or you will die.”

“I would imagine she’s in Skyhold.” Malcolm quips, reaching for his daggers.

“Not that one, not the Hero, the other one, the one with the anchor.” The leader of the Venatori unsheathes his sword, pointing it at Malcolm. “We know she lives somewhere around here. Now tell us, or die.”

“How about I don’t tell you, and you die?” Malcolm races toward the four men, drawing his daggers, praying Leandra isn’t foolish enough to try to help. Adrenaline kicks in as he weaves in and out through the Venatori. Three of the four went down with relative ease. They hadn’t been fighters, couldn’t have been. They had no idea what they were doing.

“I will find her, and when I do I will destroy her.” The Venatori charges Malcolm, swinging his blade powerfully, only just missing him as he ducks out of the way. Malcolm hears the blade whistle as it passes just over his head. Quickly figuring out that the Venatori is a match for him, Malcolm attacks and retreats, trying to figure out where he is weakest.

A searing pain cuts through the adrenaline as the Venatori’s blade connects with his side. Malcolm grips his daggers tighter, trying to keep from staggering to his knees. A victorious gleam shines in the Venatori’s eyes as he moves in to make a final attack. Malcolm hears a bowstring being released and the other man lurches forward, his blade still above his head. Blood dribbles out of his mouth as he falls over dead.

Stumbling over to the now dead Venatori leader, Malcolm sees an arrow protruding from the back of his head. Looking over at the tree he had left Leandra, he sees her standing next to it, with her bow in her hand. “Good shot.” Malcolm calls out weakly, clutching his side.

“Daddy, you’re injured.” Leandra runs over to him, to get a better look at his wound.

“Never mind that, we have to get home.” Malcolm shakes his head, his vision getting blurry. “We have to…” Collapsing to the ground, Malcolm faintly hears his daughter scream before the world fades away.


	2. Chapter 2

Leandra tries to steady her shaking hands enough to examine her father’s injury. The amount of blood soaking his shirt terrifies her. She gingerly pulls the bottom of it up to get a look at the wound. Leandra looks away for a moment, to collect herself. She has never seen anything quite so horrific, and for it to be something that happened to her daddy...

Taking deep breaths to steady herself, Leandra quickly reaches into her bag for the Elfroot, cursing herself for not having packed any poultices. She thinks of what her father had taught her about binding a wound. Leandra hears his voice in her head as she goes through the steps. “Crush the Elfroot in your hand,” She tells herself out loud, going along with the memory. “Pour water on to the wound, then the Elfroot, and wrap the injury tightly to stop the bleeding.”  

She listens to the sounds of the woods keeping her bow by her side at all times, like her dad had taught her. Leandra checks the wound frequently for infection, and cleaning it as she can. They hadn’t thought to expect to be attacked while out hunting, so they didn’t take many bandages and Elfroot with them. If only they were closer to home, she could yell for help. Every noise makes her jump, reaching for her bow. Those people that attacked had been looking for her mommy, but why? Why did people hate her so much? What if there are more out there in the woods? Leandra has been training for three years, but isn’t foolish enough to think that she could even fight one person on her own. Planting a kiss on her daddy’s cheek, she whispers “I love you.”

Leandra paces close to her still unconscious dad. Hours had passed, and she knew many more would before anyone would think to look for them. Praying to the Maker, Leandra begs for her daddy to live. “Please, we need him, Maker.” Tears roll down Leandra’s face as she tries to force the thought of her dad dying, leaving her mom and all four of the children out of her head. Solana and Lucy would never remember him, they’re still so little. Taking deep breaths, she tries to be stronger, for her daddy. Leandra knows he wouldn’t want her to fall to pieces, she can’t, not now. If someone else attacks them, she has to be prepared.


	3. Chapter 3

Setting down lunch for the kids, Evelyn tries to push the unease from her mind. She didn’t want Malcolm to take just Leandra out for her first time hunting, but he insisted. His father had only taken him when he went hunting the first time, Malcolm had argued, and she relented. No one knows where they are, save a select few with the Inquisition. Maybe she’s just overthinking.

Evelyn and the kids tend to the garden and do chores in the house after lunch. Focusing becomes harder the longer Malcolm and Leandra are still out hunting. An endless worrying thought becomes louder and louder as more time passes. _Something is wrong they should be back by now. Something happened go find them._

Calling the kids in to clean up for dinner, Evelyn is certain something has gone wrong. No matter how successful the hunt is or isn’t, Malcolm always makes sure to be home by dinner time, to clean up and to chop wood for the fireplace. She mentally goes over the details of the hunting trip again. Where they would be going and when they had planned to head back. It isn’t far, but far enough if they were to run into something or someone. Her heart clenches when her thoughts drifts to all the things that could have gone wrong. Evelyn reaches for the counter to brace herself as the image of her husband and daughter lying dead in the woods with pools of blood under them comes unbidden into her mind. She closes her eyes, and tries to calm down, for the sake of the three children that need her to be strong. After the kids eat, Evelyn walks them over to Mia’s. As they walk down the path, Evelyn prays she's wrong, and Malcolm just lost track of time because the days are longer.

From the expression on Mia’s face, Evelyn can tell she knows something is wrong. Evelyn pulls her aside and fills her in on her fears. “Take my older two with you.” Mia offers, “They know the lay of the land, and the route your husband normally takes.”

“Thank you so much.” Evelyn watches as Mia call Branson and Cullen over and tell them what she needs them to do. Kissing her kids goodbye, Evelyn and Mia’s boys head into the woods to find Malcolm and Leandra.


	4. Chapter 4

Leandra watches the light grow dimmer as the sun starts to set. Someone has to be coming soon, right? She carefully changes her dad’s bandage again, wishing he would wake up. She doesn’t have much left in the way of supplies, and knows what she does have won’t last the night.

Evelyn looks around frantically as she and Mia’s sons walk the hunting route Malcolm usually takes. She forces herself to keep from shouting for her husband and daughter, just in case there’s someone else in the woods with less than friendly intentions.

Hearing noises in the woods behind her, Leandra grabs her bow and reaches for an arrow as she spins on her feet. Her mom stares at her shocked, before looking down at where her daddy was laying. “Malcolm!” Leandra watches her mommy run up to her dad and kneel at his side to inspect his wound. “What happened, my baby girl?”

“There were four men, and they were looking for you. Daddy had me hide and fought them.” Leandra rubs the heels of her hands into her eyes to stop herself from crying.

“Takes Malcolm back to my house please.” Evelyn turns to Mia’s boys, and they nod. She walks over to her daughter, and wraps her arms around her. Leandra leans into her embrace, sobbing. “You did well, my baby girl. I’m so proud of you.” Pulling away from her daughter, Evelyn gently wipes her tears, ignoring the tears on her own cheeks.

The walk home is slow, though probably not as slow as it seems to Leandra. The growing dark makes it hard to see the way clearly. With each step she prays her daddy will still be alive when they make it home. She chants a single thought in her head over and over again, please be alive, please be alive, please be alive. Leandra squeezes her mom’s hand every so often to assure herself that she’s still there, that this isn’t a dream. When she sees home, Leandra pulls her hand away from her mommy and runs for the house.


	5. Chapter 5

A sharp pain is the first thing that Malcolm feels when he wakes up. Opening his eyes, he wonders how he had gotten home. He sits up, panic hitting him. Where is Leandra? Is she safe? He tries to get up to go find her, but a pair of hands stop him. “Not so fast, Malcolm,” Mia looks down at him, a frown on her face. “You’re lucky Leandra remembered what you taught her, or you’d be dead.”

“Where is she? Is she safe?” A door slams below before Mia can answer. A pair of feet runs up the stairs, toward them.

“Daddy!” Leandra exclaims, tears in her puffy eyes.

“I’m in soapy bubble, aren’t I?” Malcolm bites his lower lip, fighting back tears as he feels guilt envelope him for every ounce of his daughter’s pain and worry.  He holds his arms out to her, and she climbs into the bed beside him, burying her head in his shoulder crying uncontrollably. Malcolm holds Leandra close, rubbing her back. “I’m so sorry my baby girl. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“You could have died!” Leandra wails. “It would have been all my fault. I wanted to learn how to hunt. If I didn’t this wouldn’t have happened.” Malcolm’s heart breaks for his eldest daughter for the guilt she feels, for the guilt that she would have had if he died.

“It was entirely my fault, my baby girl.” Malcolm tells her in a reassuring tone. “If we had Mia’s sons with us, like your mother had wanted, this wouldn’t have happened. I wanted your first hunting trip to be just the two of us.”

“You’re damn right it’s your fault.” Evelyn’s voice stern as she leans against the door frame. Her arms are crossed against her chest, but Malcolm sees the shaking she’s trying to conceal. “Leandra, my little love, could you please walk over to Mia’s and get the kids?” Letting go of Leandra, Malcolm watches her rub her eyes, and hug Evelyn before glancing back at him. “Your father is going to be fine, I promise.”

Malcolm holds his arms out to his wife, but she doesn’t move from the door. “I could have lost you both today. What were you thinking? Why didn’t you run?” Tears fall freely from Evelyn’s eyes as she stares down at her arms.

“It was a group of Venatori in the woods. They were looking for you.” Evelyn’s head shoots up and she gives him a startled look. Malcolm holds his arms out to Evelyn again, pleading for her to come to him. Bridging the space between them, Evelyn crawls into bed beside him, curling up against his side.

“I could have lost you.” The pain in Evelyn’s voice tears Malcolm up inside. He never wanted to cause her or the kids any pain. He should have listened to what Evelyn had wanted, and taken more people with him. Why had it been so important that it was just him and Leandra? He should have known better. “You promised me forever, on our wedding night.”

“I’m so sorry, my love.” Malcolm holds Evelyn, tears rolling down his cheeks. “I will give you forever, I swear it.” 


End file.
